Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Riley
“Hey, can I come in?” When I lift up my head from the book, I see Elena standing at the entrance of my room.
“Yeah, come in,” I close the book, setting it aside. “I wasn’t really able to focus on studying anyway. What’s up?”
Everything from last night keeps replaying in my head over and over again. I was barely able to get any sleep, and when I did manage to fall asleep, I dreamt of Ezekiel’s naked body doing things to me that make my face heat up. I don’t tell my roommate that.
“I wanted to apologize for bailing on you,” she walks over to my bed and hops on it in one familiar motion.
“Oh, that,” I smile, realizing that I don’t hold any grudge towards her for ditching our study date last minute. “Don’t worry about it, I figured out how to study.”
Study. If that’s what we’re calling it.
“I’m glad,” she leans back on the wall, her legs crossed. “Let me know when you need my help again and I’ll be there to make up for it.”
“I will keep that in mind,” I toss her one of the protein bars from the desk. Lately I’ve been snacking on them a lot more than before. They do wonders for my low levels of energy. “Did you have fun with Steven?”
“Ugh,” she buries her head in the pillow, groaning. “I don’t want to see that son of a bitch ever again!”
A painful stab right through my chest takes me by surprise. “Why? What happened?”
Elena and Steven were the always-in-honey-moon-phase couple. They gave me hope about true love still existing and I need that more than I will ever admit.
“I found him jerking off to a photo of my sister!” She mumbles, her face buried in the pillow.
“Oh…” My illusion that true love exists ends up shattering to pieces like a crystal glass being thrown from the window of a fifth floor.
“Yeah, oh,” Elena sighs, lifting herself up. “Anyway, I confronted him, he said that it was normal to bring some ‘spice’ into our relationship. He was starting to feel bored… and then suggested we invited my sister for a threesome!”
“Get out!” My hands fly to cover my mouth, struggling to believe any of this is real life. A part of me desperately wants to believe she’s joking. “I assume that’s when you told him to fuck off?”
“I wish,” she cries out. “I still tried to smooth things over and save our relationship and try to find a compromise. But he just left and told me to find someone better.”
“Woah,” I take the last bite of my protein bar, taking my time to chew on it as I try to find the right words to say.
“I don’t know what to do, Riley,” she admits, finally picking up her protein bar and starting to play with it instead of opening the wrapper and eating it. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I should have agreed…”
“Or maybe you should have told him to go to hell a lot sooner,” I speak, leaning over to take her hand in mine. “Look at me.” My voice is soft.
She looks up and when our eyes meet, I can see that she’s barely holding back the tears. “I miss him.”
“I know,” I say, gently caressing her hand. “And I know this is a cliché and might annoy you to hear it, but give it time. A man like him does not deserve to be with an extraordinary, badass woman like you, Elena!”
She sobs. “You think so?”
“Absolutely!”
“How do you do it?” Elena asks. “How do you manage to stay single and prioritize yourself?”
I wish she had asked me this same question a few weeks ago because then I would have had a prepared answer for her. But now I don’t know what to say. Any advice I could try to give her would be a lie. Because now I am interested in someone.
While it might be true that our relationship, if I can even call it that, is certainly not going anywhere, Ezekiel is still making me feel and experience things that I never thought would happen to me.
He makes me feel alive in ways I didn’t know were possible. And I’m scared to admit it. Especially after hearing about Elena’s relationship despite it having looked like the perfect relationship from the outside. Despite Steven seeming like the sweetest guy ever on the outside.
If someone like Steven can screw his long-term girlfriend over…
I breathe, fighting the intrusive thought.
No! Don’t go there, Riley!
“I wouldn’t know the answer to that,” I finally say. “I guess I’m just used to it, I’ve been single my entire life…” At least it’s not a lie.
After that, Elena returns to her room to study, leaving me to overthink everything I’ve been feeling lately. After spending another hour forcing myself to focus on the book in front of me, I find myself happier than usual when the time to head to Eden comes.
“Did you see Ezekiel?” I ask Jena before getting on stage. He’s usually around at the time of the performances but tonight he’s nowhere to be seen.
“No, not tonight,” she responds, returning back to scrabble something in her notebook.
A part of me is tempted to go to his office and knock on the door.
But I hold back, knowing he’s probably busy trying to solve the problems Eden has been facing.
I don’t want to think about the possibility that maybe he’s avoiding me, despite the little annoying voice in my head whispering that might be the case.
Just stop.
Once I make the effort to focus on doing my job, the rest of the night flies by and I make even better tips than yesterday. I can’t stop smiling as I’m counting the money and organizing it in my wallet.
“You’re still here,” Mia smiles as she walks into the dressing room with Chloe following close behind her. “We’re going to stay and grab a drink with Cohen. Wanna join us?”
“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” I jump to my feet, grabbing my things. “You’ve been hanging out a lot with Cohen.”
“I don’t want to get my hopes up,” she admits. “But I really like spending time with him.”
I would be lying if I denied that part of the reason why I said yes to the drink is to keep an eye on him and see up-close if there really is something off about him.
“An appletini for me, please,” Chloe orders the moment we get to the bar and I follow her, climbing the tall stool.
“For me as well,” Mia says with a big, warm smile on her face, making me feel terrible for doubting her happiness.
The place is empty aside from the staff taking care of cleaning up the club and I still haven’t fully gotten used to how different the Eden looks with all the lights on.
“What about you, Riley?” Cohen turns to take my order.
“Soda water, as usual,” I smile politely.
“You really hate alcohol, huh?” Chloe’s tone isn’t intrusive or like she’s judging me, which feels like a refreshing change. People usually react strangely when they find out I don’t drink.
I think of Ezekiel noticing.
I quickly push aside the image of him in his boxers walking around the office and force myself to focus on the conversation.
“I don’t like things that mess with my head,” I joke. This time it’s an image of my drunk mother that pops up into my head. She ruined her life because of alcohol, and she almost ruined mine. I promised myself never to fall into the same trap as her.
“That’s smart,” Chloe says, taking a sip of her appletini. “Unfortunately, it’s too late for me.”
I glance at Mia who is caught up in her conversation with Cohen. He whispers something into her ear, causing her to giggle before she proceeds to trace a line up his arm, to his bicep.
“Ugh, get a room!” Chloe shouts, taking another sip of her drink, and breaking their little bubble just a little to acknowledge us.
“You’d know a thing or two about getting a room,” Cohen teases her, but something about the way he says it, makes me feel uncomfortable, even though both Chloe and Mia laugh at his attempt of a joke.
“Ha-ha, so funny,” Chloe rolls her eyes. “You wish you could make as much money as I make in one of those rooms.”
“You caught me,” he laughs loudly. “Teach me how.”
“You can’t,” She shakes her head. “You need to be born with a charm like mine.”
“Well, that just sucks,” Cohen pretends to sulk.
“Speaking of money,” Chloe’s tone becomes a lot more serious. “Did you hear from anyone who quit? You were pretty close with Hana, do you guys still talk?”
The expression on Mia’s face turns completely blank. I can see how much she hates hearing about Cohen being close with another girl. One of the girls that quit, on top of things.
“Who’s Hana?” Mia asks without hesitating.
“She used to work here,” Cohen explains.
“I get that,” Mia rolls her eyes, starting to get annoyed. “I asked who’s Hana to you.”
“Just a friend,” he smiles, reassuring her with a quick peck on her cheek. “Hana is married and has an adorable three-year old.”
“I didn’t realize that married women also work here,” I speak.
“Oh, yeah, it’s pretty common,” Cohen explains. “Married women tend to be quite drawn to this place because of the reputation the club has.”
“It makes them feel safe and protected,” Chloe adds and Cohen nods.
“We all saw how that goes,” I say under my breath. Thankfully no one hears me.
“I just can’t understand why any of them quit,” Chloe continues. “The clients are amazing and the money is even better. Even you saw that and you’ve been here for only a few days.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Cohen returns his attention to the counter, starting to wipe it clean with some products. “Maybe they found something better. Or maybe they just weren’t happy here.”
“I doubt anyone could find something better,” Chloe points out. “The Kavanaghs have made sure this place is a fortress that protects us. Other clubs don’t take things so seriously.”
“Yeah, that’s why I was so surprised to see that ad for a dancer,” Mia joins in. “I didn’t even think twice before signing up.”
“It just doesn’t make sense,” Chloe agrees. “I used to work at different clubs before getting accepted here, and I guarantee you that they don’t put half the effort into the dancers they do here.”
“How long have you been working at the Eden?” I take a sip of my drink.